Andrew Koji, best known for his roles in Black Doves, Bullet Train, and the martial arts drama Warrior, is set to headline High Stakes Holiday, an indie action caper that blends the high-gloss spectacle of Ocean’s 11 with the booby-trapped chaos of Home Alone.
In what promises to be a slick seasonal romp, Koji stars as a disillusioned former MI6 agent now working as a security guard. His Vegas vacation takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with two quick-thinking sisters caught up in a glitzy heist. With a wily international thief on their tail and a priceless diamond gauntlet at stake, the unlikely trio must work together to outsmart the criminal mastermind – and hopefully save Christmas while they’re at it.
Real-life sisters Madeleine McGraw (The Black Phone) and Violet McGraw (M3GAN) play the holidaying siblings, with Azizi Donnelly, Jack Griffo, Struggler Jennings and Brynne Kurland rounding out the supporting cast.
The film is directed by Shaun Piccinino, best known for Netflix’s A California Christmas, and penned by A Hollywood Christmas screenwriter John Ducey. Filming kicks off this month at Las Vegas’s iconic Palm Casino.
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Behind the scenes, the project is produced by Ali Afshar, Daniel Aspromonte, and Christina Moore, with the McGraw sisters and their mother, Jackie McGraw, on board as executive producers. The film comes via Afshar’s ESX Entertainment, which holds an output deal with Warner Bros. and marks just their second production – one that also serves to spotlight the studio’s increasing investment in Nevada, following its lobbying for expanded film tax incentives and a new production facility in the state.
Koji, who leads Jonathan Tropper’s Warrior – a series inspired by the writings of Bruce Lee, recently added to Netflix’s growing roster – continues to build an impressive slate. He currently appears in Netflix’s espionage series Black Doves alongside Keira Knightley, with upcoming roles in Amazon’s Haven, the third season of the UK’s Gangs of London, and a romantic feature Worth the Wait, in which he stars opposite Lana Condor.
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Koji’s growing filmography includes action-heavy fare such as Snake Eyes, Boy Kills World, and Seneca, as well as TV credits spanning Peaky Blinders, American Gods and The Innocents. With High Stakes Holiday, he steps into the festive genre – albeit one armed with gadgets, grit, and a gauntlet on the line.
